You thought gardeners had
nothing to do but sow and reap? Well guess again! Our Garden
Gang has scoured the web and garden guides to bring you a collection of
articles on aspects of garden planning for you! Make Our Garden
Gang your perennial favorite!

How
to Start

First,
get cracking on a
landscape design. Learn and collect as many ideas as
possible. Look at some of the well-landscaped properties in your
area. Good landscaping greatly increases the aesthetic and
monetary value of any property. You don't have to plan every inch
of your yard, and certainly not all at once. With persistence and
patience, working year by year, you will be rewarded for all your
efforts!

Think about the types of
gardens and plants you would like to have - lots of them are covered in
the navigation links on the left and below. Don't neglect the most obvious advice - ask your local
experts. Your local extension service can usually supply a list of
recommended plant varieties for your area, as can local Garden Club
members. Master Gardeners, garden centers and gardening neighbors
are other great sources of information.

Second, make a list of existing plants
and garden structures worth keeping or
transplanting. If you plan to incorporate them into the new garden or landscape, plan on saving them.
Things may need to be moved - check out the Evaluate Your Garden
and Bones of the Garden pages for tips to
help you decide.

Third,
create a scale model of your property using graph paper. The type
with 1/4 inch squares is ideal - make each square equal to 1 foot of your
yard. Place the house and and other permanent structures on it
first. Draw existing plants into the sketch. Add in the locations of existing features (like walks,
patio, gazebos, pools, play areas, sheds, large trees and existing beds
you will keep). Leave the rest of the graph paper
clean, ready for the new plan. Then add in the new plantings and
structures that you are
planning. You may want to label them with a "year" if
your plan cannot be accomplished in one season.

Remember: Don't try
to 'do it all' in one year, unless you have superhuman strength and very
deep pockets. Plan your strategy, and break the work into smaller
projects that you will work on over the next three years. Decide
the priority of each project - and don't put the perennial bed in this
year where the patio is going to go in three years! Use
inexpensive annuals from seed to fill in spots you will not be working
on this year.

Assess
Your Mess

Dem
Bones, Dem Bones...
The "Bones of the
Garden" are the key design elements you must consider.
These are the permanent structures, fixtures and plantings in your
yard that you must work with, or that you may need to create or
grow! We've put a little flesh on the bones for you
here.

Take a really good look at your
property. This feature helps you plan around your property's
strengths and weaknesses, your lifestyle, soil and climate
conditions. Keep garden interest going all year. Make it all work FOR you with this guide.

The essentials
of a vegetable (and fruit too) garden include a sunny
location. As you assess your yard this winter, remember that
the deciduous trees that are leafless now will cast shadows
later. Don't let the shade take a bite out of you - sink
your teeth into Veggie Gardening here! Small
garden? Then think vertical - train fruits and veggies on
trellises, against fences and up walls.

If you have a brand new
garden to plan, especially one with lots of wide open spaces that
you can't deal with in one year, plant those areas with
annuals. This will help choke out the weeds and give some
interest until you can get around to those spots. Check here
for tips on planting an Annual Garden - you may like it so much
that you will decide to keep some areas strictly for annuals,
perennially!

Don't forget spots in
your garden to "hide away". You can create
tranquil or amusing retreats for children as well as adults.
Think "rooms" with hedges and shrubs as walls!
Click here
for ideas on Secret Garden hideaways.